A Comparison of Common Laboratory Animals as Experimental Hosts for Schistosoma mansoni

Abstract

Mice, hamsters, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits were exposed to cercariae by intraperit. injection and percut exposure. The course of the resulting infection was studied and the following points used as a basis for comparison: percentage worm recovery, time required for the worms to reach maturity, and the presence of viable eggs in the feces. Mice infected with 100 cercariae yielded an average of 21.4% worm recovery following intraperit infection and 22.9% following percut infection. Hamsters with 160 cercariae yielded an average of 17.9% after intraperit infection, 18.1% after unshaved percut. infection, and 29.2% after shaved percut. infection. In both animals the majority of worms were mature 8 weeks after infection; viable eggs appeared in the feces 5 to 6.5 weeks after infection. Rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits proved to be unsatisfactory hosts, giving a low worm recovery after intraperit infection. The worm yield was higher in guinea pigs and rabbits after percut. infection. The worms were slow to mature, and were much smaller than worms from mice and hamsters. Eggs were never found in the feces of rats, guinea pigs or rabbits.